I want to buy a .44 Magnum lever action....

[Greg G]

Which one?

I've kind of decided on .44 Magnum because I already load for it, and am setting up to cast for it. When I hunt with it will be for hogs here in Texas, shooting from a stand. The rest of the time it will be a Sunday *Day at the range* rifle.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks,

Greg

[daddywpb]

My Marlin 1894 .44 Mag GG is a great shooter. Short, lightweight and almost perfect for walking thru thick stuff trying to flush a hog.

[northmn]

I have a 94 Marlin in 32-20 and a Rossi in 357. Both are made in 44 mag. If I had the opportunity and extra cash I would opt for the Marlin. Its already drilled for a receiver sight and side ejects for a scope which it is already drilled for. My Rossi also has a curved steel buttplate which may get your attention in a 44 mag. For walking in the brush I can shoot quicker with a receiver sight so that would be my main reason for the Marlin. Also, in my opinion, the Marlin just seems like more rifle. The Rossi is a fun little gun, but I think the Marlin will outshoot one. My Rossi had issues with the foreend being too tight and had to be relieved so it would group and the front barrel band had to be loosened. Not real big issues for hog hunting. If I had to use just the Rossi I would not be all that disappointed, I just think the Marlin is a better built rifle.

DP

[jlchucker]

My favorite 44 mag is a Winchester trapper that I bought during the era that preceded some of the goofy safeties that helped to put Winchester out of business. This gun has a particular fondness for the Lyman 429215 boolit, and at my club range I've spent many hours plinking clay pigeon fragments at 100 yd. I'd tell everyone I hated this gun--it has a lever that rattles more than other 94's due to a lever link machined much narrower than the opening in the receiver. I later bought an EMF 92 rifle in 44 mag, but the Winnie, except for the rattle, is a better shooter all around and kicks much less. Those curved buttplates on Octagon rifles really let you feel it!

[Matthew 25]

Greg, the good news is: you can't go wrong. My very strong preference is the (newish) Winchester 92. It is a very fine rifle, very accurate, no rattles, looks pretty...but kinda pricey. I'd be happy with any of them, really.

[Snapping Twig]

If you can find one, a pre safety Marlin 1894 isn't a bad way to go.

Also, microgroove levers like bullets sized a bit larger, so you might need a different sizing die, like a .431.

[lbaize3]

Based on the experiences with my Marlin 1894 in 44mag. It shoots 240 grain lead and j-word boolits with no problems. And with a little straightening of the spring on the ejector it feeds the 300 grain RF lead boolits with no problems. It is accurate and a hard hitting lever gun.

[robertbank]

I have the Rossi and it is a great little gun. Be prepared for the recoil though. Full loads hurt! I am now looking for a recoil pad to take some of the hurt out of the equation. Very accurate rifle though and it loves the 429231 boolit. I also have the Lyman Devastator HP and it does pack a wallop. Great mould if you can find one.

Take Care

Bob

[44 flattop]

I can't say enough good about Marlin and their Cowboy models. 20" or 24" (if you can find one) feel MUCH lighter than they are so pack easy in your hand. With the extra heft even the stoutest of loads are pretty tame.

My scoped 24" model will keep its favorite loads inside 1 1/2" at 100 yards for 5 shots. My receiver sighted 20" model even keeps its favorite 44 special load (255gr PB & 7.5grs Unique) inside of 2" at 75 yards!

44

[McLintock]

Don't overlook the Browning B92, they're a pretty good rifle, with no lawyer safetys like the newer Winchesters.
McLintock

[Greg G]

The Browning 92 is one that I have been looking at.

Thanks for the info guys!


If I did decide on a Marlin, would I be better off with the Ballard rifled barrel over the Micro-groove?

[Dutch4122]

If I did decide on a Marlin, would I be better off with the Ballard rifled barrel over the Micro-groove?

I have a Marlin 1894ss in .44 Magnum. It has the Ballard rifling and the safety. I size to .433" as the bore slugs .431"

With the .433" slugs (280 grn WFNGC) cast out of ACWW this little carbine shoots cloverleaf groups @ 100 yards when the shooter does his part.

All of the Marlin 1894's have the 1/38" twist. So if you want to shoot boolits over 300 grns then the Marlin may not be for you.

Hope this helps,:Fire:

[Jeff Davis]

I have a Winchester 94 Pack Rifle in 44 Mag. It is a wood pistol grip stock with an
18.5 inch barrel and a 2/3 magazine tube. It is one of my most accurate rifles I own.

[ReloaderFred]

I own a Winchester 94 in .44 Magnum and several Marlin 1894's in .44 Magnum. I very much like the Marlins over the Winchester in both accuracy and smoothness of operation.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[DukeInFlorida]

Mine is a Marlin Model 94 in 44 mag. Mine has "micro groove rifling" and REALLY likes pure linotype for cast bullets. Most of the reloading books mention the linotype for the cast bullets.

For the 44 mag, I'd take the Marlin.

In 30-30, I'd take the Winchester any day.

[Doc Highwall]

The Marlin is my choice because you can mount a scope if you want. The older ones were also drilled and tapped on the side for a receiver peep sight like Lyman or Williams.

[Greg G]

I've been reading and reading and reading. "JM" stamped barrels and such.

The Marlin 1894 Cowboy in .44 Magnum with an octagon barrel and Ballard rifling is looking pretty good.....

But..........Boy they ain't cheap. Upwards of $800.

[Fugowii]

Here's one:

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/126257-Winchester-Model-94-Trapper-16-quot-Barrel-.44-Magnum?highlight=Winchester

[44 flattop]

While I am an A#1 Marlin Cowboy fan, don't overlook Rossi's 20" and 24" octagon versions. While I've never owned or even played with one, they sure look nice!

44

[Longwood]

I bought one of the lace on pads that Cimmaron sells, and am planning on ordering two more.
I cut a piece of the 1/2' closed cell foam from one of those snap together floor pads for inside of it.
If you decide to go that route, I will send you some of the padding so you don't have to buy a bunch of it.

[HollowPoint]

I agree with everything that robertbank stated.

I bought the Puma model 92 cause it was the least expensive of the bunch. Would have loved to have purchased one of the other models mentioned here. One with the option of mounting a small scope for load work up but, just couldn't afford it.

It came with a metal cresent shaped butt plate. Major OUCH- factor when shooting full power loads. I installed an aftermarket recoil pad to mitigate the pain.

After taking it apart and de-burring the inards and a little trigger work, it reliably shoots and cycles smooth as butter.

I just recently machined some temporary pistol-scope mounts for it in order to work up some 240 SWC loads for it.

I have a set of marble tang-mounted peep sights on it that I use while in the field. For my aging eyes, nothing beats a pistol scope for working up new loads.

I know it's already been stated; you really can't go wrong with whatever lever gun you decide on. I've had pretty good luck with mine; with respect to price, accuracy and reliability.

HollowPoint

[Link23]

i love my Rossi .44 Mag with the 20'' barrel i was hitting a 10 inch gong at 250 yards with it just the other day

[Greg G]

I had decided on an 1894 CB, but the 1 in 38" twist has me nervous. Some love it, some hate it.

Not wanting to risk it, I'm leaning towards the 1894 Cowboy Competition model. I'm in the process of talking to a gent that has an 1894 CBC in .45 Colt which is 1 in 16" twist. I'll let you all know how it goes.

Thanks for all of the posts. I'm totally new to the levergun arena.

[44 flattop]

Unless you are planning on shooting some real heavyweights, don't worry at all about the 1-38" twist. I've never had a single problem up to 300 grains out of a dozen or more .44 rifles. The .44 excells with weights from 200grs to 280grs and has no problem what so ever with 300-310grs. Right now I have 4 Marlin CB's with teh 1-38" twist and routinely run 300 to 320gr bullets with great accuracy and completely stabilized with no sign of yaw.

44

[kjg]

Oh you guys are gonna hate my guts, but founda nice, not perfect marlin .44 for 212.00 out the door at my local pawn shop, only thing is now I gotta load something else, and cast for another cal. Bummer that means more range and trigger time boohoo. Kevin

[EDK]

Oh you guys are gonna hate my guts, but founda nice, not perfect marlin .44 for 212.00 out the door at my local pawn shop, only thing is now I gotta load something else, and cast for another cal. Bummer that means more range and trigger time boohoo. Kevin


Even a blind hog finds an acorn once in awhile. Seriously, it sounds like you got a DEAL! A used MARLIN in 44 is a rare find around my area of late, and 357s new or used are non-existent.

Get the RANCH DOG TLC 432 265, lube it per the RD tutorial and size to .432 for your MARLIN and live happily ever after. The gas checked RD with LEE LIQUID ALOX/LARS' XLOX also removes residual lead from my pistol barrels.

PS If it was an octagon barrel Cowboy rifle, especially a 24 inch, you REALLY GOT A DEAL!!!

[Four Fingers of Death]

I have both of the main contenders, a Marlin 1894 and a Rossi in 44Mag (and an older Rossi in 357/38, which is the rifle I am shooting in my avitar).

The Marlin is great, bit fat in the wood, but most folk like that. If it didn't have such nice checkering, I would have trimmed it down some. Mine feeds 44Specials well. The sights are ok and you can fit a telescopic sight if you want.

The Rossi is also great, but the sights on my 44 are useless. Gold coloured front bead and rear buckhorn. The foresight disappears when you try and settle it into the groove and I can't seem to depress it enough to hit close targets. Most guys in cowboy action I have noticed have removed the elevator part of the sight *I did too and promptly lost it :( ). My older 357 has excellent sights. Cheap pressed sheet metal, but a post foresight and a square cut notch at the rear. Very definite sight picture and quickly acquired. The flat, slim profile would make it a better choice for a saddle gun than the Marlin. Mine also wouldn't feed 44 Specials 100%, but I haven't really worked on this yet).

The Marlin is a nice gun in a lot of ways, but it is twice the money, so it would want to be.

If you aren't going to be using it on a horse and you can afford it, the Marlin would be my choice, especially as it is American made (I am an Aussie, but I give business to our allies where I can).

Both guns will give you a lifetime of service.

[Tom-ADC]

I have an older maybe 30+ year old Marlin in 44 mag. Bought it under $200 at Kmart..
Mine shoots everything I've fed it, I did add a Williams FP with target knobs for steel chickens etc. I have a bunch of hard cast 205 gr flat point boolits cast 15 years ago little Unique and the rifle loves them.

[Freischütz]

Will the current Marlins feed bullets like 429421? About 30 yrs ago I had one of their carbines, and 429421(when crimped in the crimp groove) was too long.

[Hanzerik]

I like my Rossi/Pumas. Both shoot really well and have eaten anything I have fed them in .44Mag.
http://home.bresnan.net/~hanzerik/pics/Puma/Right%20Side%201.JPG

[Four Fingers of Death]

Speaking of Rossi's I am flat out at the moment and don't have time to load for a big shoot interstate. I leave in a day or so. I rang the gunshop in the next town and will be picking up some Fed cheap Yankee Eagle ammo, so the Rossi will ride again with my wife's new Ruger SASS Vaqueros.

[robertbank]

I like my Rossi/Pumas. Both shoot really well and have eaten anything I have fed them in .44Mag.
http://home.bresnan.net/~hanzerik/pics/Puma/Right%20Side%201.JPG

Are those FO front sights? I installed a Skinner peep on my .357mag Rossi and am very pleased. I am using the front post sight that came with the gun and like it a lot. I am toying with the idea of adding a FO front as it may even be faster for sight acquisition.

Four Fingers of Death I am still looking for a decent slip on recoil pad for my .44mag Rossi. Found one for $32.US but the shipping up here came to $23. from the US. I hope to be able to source one from a Canadian supplier because with full loads the gun is a punisher.

Take Care

Bob

[dntfxr]

I have a Win Trapper with the silly cross bolt safety, it is extremely accurate. Just replace the factory rear sight with a Williams peep and you are good to go! I also put a scout rail on it with a red dot sight- good hog medicine! :)

[Four Fingers of Death]

I hope to be able to source one from a Canadian supplier because with full loads the gun is a punisher.

Try and get a limbsaver, I have bought several Remington 700SPS rifles (270, 308Tactical and 375H&H DG) recently and I already had a 7600Police in 308. They all have pads by Limbsaver, mateeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Awesome, they really work. Get it fitted and buy a leather cowboy style lace over if you don't like the looks. I have had several slip ons and they were never much chop. It is not as so its a collectable rifle, so it is not a sin to operate on it.

[Hanzerik]

Are those FO front sights? I installed a Skinner peep on my .357mag Rossi and am very pleased. I am using the front post sight that came with the gun and like it a lot. I am toying with the idea of adding a FO front as it may even be faster for sight acquisition.

Bob

They are Marble Arms 1/16" gold beads. The Short rifle has a Marble Arms folding rear and a tang sight. The carbine has a Marble Arms Bullseye rear.

[robertbank]

I hope to be able to source one from a Canadian supplier because with full loads the gun is a punisher.

Try and get a limbsaver, I have bought several Remington 700SPS rifles (270, 308Tactical and 375H&H DG) recently and I already had a 7600Police in 308. They all have pads by Limbsaver, mateeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Awesome, they really work. Get it fitted and buy a leather cowboy style lace over if you don't like the looks. I have had several slip ons and they were never much chop. It is not as so its a collectable rifle, so it is not a sin to operate on it.

Good advice I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and just go for it.

Thanks

Take Care

Bob

[robertbank]

I hope to be able to source one from a Canadian supplier because with full loads the gun is a punisher.

Try and get a limbsaver, I have bought several Remington 700SPS rifles (270, 308Tactical and 375H&H DG) recently and I already had a 7600Police in 308. They all have pads by Limbsaver, mateeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Awesome, they really work. Get it fitted and buy a leather cowboy style lace over if you don't like the looks. I have had several slip ons and they were never much chop. It is not as so its a collectable rifle, so it is not a sin to operate on it.

I am going to have the recoil pad fitted. I asked about a slip on but none of theirs would fit. I plan on using the gun on deer this fall and I don't want to have a sore shoulder until Christmas.

Take Care

Bob

[WickedGoodOutdoors]

Get a Henry Big Boy .44 Mag.

No recoil pad needed. I can go out and shoot 100-200 practice shots without any heavy recoil.

Has Never failed to function.

It shoots soft and accurate. Fast also!

Its the Best and Made in the USA

http://www.henryrepeating.com/rifle-big-boy.cfm

[robertbank]

Get a Henry Big Boy .44 Mag.

No recoil pad needed. I can go out and shoot 100-200 practice shots without any heavy recoil.

Has Never failed to function.

It shoots soft and accurate. Fast also!

Its the Best and Made in the USA

http://www.henryrepeating.com/rifle-big-boy.cfm

Try 22 gr of 4227 under a 250 gr boolit and come back and tell us how it handled the recoil.:) You might change your mind on the need for a recoil pad.

Take Care

Bob

[fecmech]

Part of the reason the Henry shoots a little softer than a 92 is that it weighs 2 lbs. more!

[robertbank]

That certainly helps! The .44mag can be a tooth rattler in the lighter carbines.

Take Care

Bob

[sljacob]

I just bought a new henry big boy in .44 mag, I have not been able to shoot it a lot yet but it is quickly growing on me. but after 15 or 20 full house loads your shoulder gets a little sore. It does like to be feed from my new NOE 429215 mold.

[Bullwolf]

I have a Winchester Model 92 Lever-action carbine, with a 16 3/4 inch length barrel that is chambered in 44 Magnum. It is a joy to shoot, and it is quite easy to handle.

The women folk really seem to enjoy shooting it too. I had to pry it out of my wife's hands a couple of times. It's always been a fun and accurate shooter.

No one ever seems to believe me when I tell them it is chambered in 44 Magnum.
(I still think it looks like a BB gun)

Everyone who has shot it seems to love it, and it has been pretty solid for me with cast boolits.

I really like mine, and I would definitely recommend to the Winchester 92 to anyone looking for 44 Magnum Lever-action.


- Bullwolf

[Greg G]

Thread update:

I bought a nice used Marlin 1894 off a member at Marlinowners.com. It's plenty accurate, I'll give it that, but once in a while the nose of a cartridge likes to jam up on the back of the barrel if the gun is tilted to the right a little.

On the advice of Steve Young and McLintock in this thread I bought a Browning 1892 next. I wanted a high quality copy of the original Browning 1892 without reworking it to smooth it out, and the Miroku was it. No safety or rebounding hammer. It cycles every time, no matter what position the gun is in (even upside down). Something to consider if using it for home defense, which I do.

The Marlin gets to go hunting, but the Browning is out here at home.

Here is a pic of the load I settled on for the Marlin. 50 yards. (I shot it at a target left behind by someone with a .22)

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg32/scaled.php?server=32&filename=marlin1894targetwithpee.jpg&res=medium

Next I'll work up a good load for the Browning.

[Swampman]

The Browning 92 is one that I have been looking at.

Thanks for the info guys!


If I did decide on a Marlin, would I be better off with the Ballard rifled barrel over the Micro-groove?

Either is fine.

I wouldn't buy anything other than a Marlin.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Thread update:

On the advice of Steve Young and McLintock in this thread I bought a Browning 1892 next. I wanted a high quality copy of the original Browning 1892 without reworking it to smooth it out, and the Miroku was it. No safety or rebounding hammer. It cycles every time, no matter what position the gun is in (even upside down).


It is funny how things go (I have a Marlin on lay-by (I think you guys call it lay away), but I had a Browning 357 years ago and the only thing it would feed 100% of the time was jacketed HPs with a pointy (but flat point) bullet. Nice little rifle, but it was moved on after a week or two. My Rossi however will feed anything that I have tried in it.

[Greg G]

On my particular Browning, the only place the nose of the cartridge comes close to hanging up on the barrel is at the top. It's like the carrier has the front of the bullet about .025" too high. You can see it good in the second pic. The edge of the hollow point *just clears* the top of the chamber.

I'm sure that can be addressed with some judicious grinding on the front of the carrier, so that the cartridge sits a little lower there.

I like that this gun has feed rails that control the rear of the case until the front of the cartridge is inside the chamber. I think that's a big plus. You can see them in the first pic pretty easy.

Different strokes for different folks. I like both guns, the Marlin and the original Browning design, for different reasons. The Marlin is just plain accurate. I may put a scope on it to see what it can really do. The Browning *I have* does definitely feed more reliably than the Marlin *I have*.

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/7117/82411016.jpg

http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/1033/82411017.jpg

Here's a pic of the carrier at the top of it's travel.

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/3460/82411019.jpg

[Four Fingers of Death]

Good photography.

[x101airborne]

So, I just happened to notice no one mentioned the ruger lever action 44's. I own the deerfield semi-auto and it is awesome. Are there any reasons that the rugers are not as popular? one day, maybe, I would like to own all three (or is it four) 44 magnum rifles Ruger makes. semi auto- box mag, bolt-box mag, deerfield-tube fed semi, lever-box mag.

[Four Fingers of Death]

A small numeber of people feel the Ruger leverguns are pretty, a lot of people feel that they are ugly and most folk just think they are pretty ugly! :D

[Tatume]

Buy American made.

Isn't Rossi made in the Americas?

[Bula]

I thought Rossi was Brazillian...

[HDS]

Brazil is in the americas.

I could go either way here, Marlin 1894 Cowboy + a skinner peep sight is looking really good to me. Equally happy with my '92 Rossi.

[robertbank]

Well I just got back from the range. I fired 100 rds of .44mag out of my Rossi. The new recoil pad saved the day. Gun is comfortable to shoot now. Next up is to install a Skinner rear sight and life will be good. Thanks Four Fingers of Death for the suggestion. "smith did a very nice job of installing the pad and filling in the stock.

Take Care

Bob

[HATCH]

I purchased a pre-safety Marlin 1894 a few months back.
Came with a leopold 4x scope.
It was duracoated black.
Shoots great. I had a mercury rod and rubber buttpad installed on it.
Shoots like a dream now.
I paid $500 ftf transaction